Thought of the Day - January 1 - A Year in Review

Rather than looking forward to 2021 I figure I would close 2020 with a review of how things unfolded. More detailed blog list here: Covid-19/Timeline.

January 2020 - Virus Spreads Around the World: While most just saw a side-line article about the cluster of cases around Wuhan from a novel corona virus, others, armed with information as to what to look for, started to identify cases around the world including in Canada and BC.

February 2020 - Pandemic: Although the WHO did not make a pandemic declaration in February, the world markets were way ahead of them. As stories from stranded cruise ships began to hit the front page the public finally started to understand the potential of this issue. Toilet paper became a headline in the news. (Order of magnitude of total official deaths from COVID-19: World: 1,000+ | Canada: 0 | BC: 0)

March 2020 - Canada Wakes Up: Trudeau and provincial leaders start to do daily addresses. As stories of fatalities in Canadian care homes arise a first wave of closures start, mass testing becomes available, government subsidy programs are launched, as is the daily 7pm Cheer is started! Europe is the epicentre. (10,000+ | 100+ | 10+)

April 2020 - Containment Measures Start: As the death toll rises rapidly in Canada and outbreaks continue across many institutions such as meat packing, jails and additional care homes, significant swaths of the economy are shutdown. Current and future mass gathering events are cancelled. US is the epicentre. (100,000+ | 1,000+ | 100+)

May 2020 - Planning Reopening: With new cases falling each Province started phased re-opening plans. Quebec has become the Canadian epicentre. (100,000+ | 1,000+ | 100+)

June 2020 - Canada Reopens: Across the Provinces business reopen. Dexamethasone introduced in Canada as the first therapeutic drug for critically ill. Stock markets rebound. Mask use finally encouraged. (100,000+ | 1,000+ | 100+)

July 2020 - The Waiting Game: With a second wave starting in the US and some European countries, Canadians enjoy "local" holidays as entertainment venues cautiously reopen. The Atlantic Bubble introduced. Phase III trials of first vaccine candidates start. Latin America is the world's epicentre, Quebec continues to be the epicentre in Canada. (100,000+ | 1,000+ | 100+)

August 2020 - The New Normal: Better information is provided concerning COVID - aerosolization, "long hauling", mask effectiveness, testing accuracy, working from home, immunity etc. that improve public awareness. Economic recovery continues. (100,000+ | 1,000+ | 100+)

September 2020 - The Second Wave: Kids go back to school across Canada. Following the second wave in Europe and the US, Canada's cases start to ramp up. New case counts in India start to rival US (1,000,000+ | 1,000+ | 100+)

October 2020 - Red Zones Implemented: A more granular approach is implemented across the Provinces as restrictions increase due to increasing cases. BC follows NB's lead and holds an election. (1,000,000+ | 10,000+ | 100+)

November 2020 - Vaccine Wars Heat Up: With phase III trials wrapping up, press releases of efficacy dot the headlines. Atlantic Bubble bursts. The US becomes the world's epicentre, and Manitoba becomes the centre for Canada. (1,000,000+ | 10,000+ | 100+)

December 2020 - Second Wave Eclipses First: While the press is busy with vaccine approval announcements, and Russia, China start mass vaccination and the western world rushes to catch up, the real story is the second wave. Driven by the more contagious new strain, despite improved prevention and treatment, the second wave is now larger than than first in terms of hospitalizations and new deaths. So, unfortunately we need to defer the good news into 2021. (1,000,000+ | 10,000+ | 100+)

Now here we are in January 2021. While we still have a long way to go, we can only hope that the news will be much better this year.

Cheers

Cliff